Most people have experienced the discomfort and aggravation of insects such as ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers. Numerous repellents have been marketed for both area spraying as well as personal application to attempt to prevent such insects from attacking human beings as a source of food supply. However, the effectiveness of most repellents and related insecticides has been limited and their use in some environments may be potentially hazardous to people's health either by direct skin contact or respiratory irritation. Additionally, some such insects are known to carry potentially fatal diseases such as Lyme's disease which is carried or transmittal by the deer ticks indigenous to many areas of the United States or Rocky Mountain spotted fever carried or transmitted by other ticks.
In some industries, such as in the forestry or timber business, workers must be protected from exposure to potentially dangerous and even life-threatening insects. Special clothes have been designed to protect workers by insuring that maximum body coverage is provided and chemical repellents may be directly applied or used to treat clothing. However, totally successful repellents have not been previously available.